


If Only I Could Make You Mine

by Astra_M



Series: The Scent of Grass and Flowers [14]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Drama, F/M, Family Drama, Forbidden Love, Friends to Enemies, Implied Sexual Content, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:34:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25956061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astra_M/pseuds/Astra_M
Summary: “A reason?”  Inoichi laughed humorlessly.  “What makes you think you’re entitled to one, Shikamaru?  But then I suppose you believe you’re entitled to whatever you want, given your status among the village elders.  You’ve certainly behaved as if you were entitled to my daughter.”
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Yamanaka Ino
Series: The Scent of Grass and Flowers [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883662
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	If Only I Could Make You Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in December 2007

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

Shikamaru felt powerless, bewildered by the paralysis that had overcome his body. He was aware of Ino’s arms wrapped around his neck and her lips pressed desperately against his, as if she was trying to pour all her feelings into one kiss. A voice in his mind was screaming that he needed to be kissing her back now, and he began to comply - but then their lips broke contact as she was forcibly yanked from his arms.

At this, sensation poured back into Shikamaru’s limbs. He came to life again with a cry, lunging forward to pull Ino’s struggling form back against his. 

Choji had to restrain him.

“Get back inside the house, Ino,” snapped Inoichi. He had an iron grip around his daughter’s upper arm, heedless of the way it caused her face to screw up in pain. But the tears in Ino’s eyes were caused by something else.

“No, Daddy! I won’t go - I want to stay with Shikamaru!”

“Get back inside!” roared Inoichi, the fury in his eyes lending terror to his countenance. “Do it now, Ino, or so help me, I’ll...!”

He raised a hand as if to strike her, and Ino quailed, frightened at seeing her father like this. Mrs. Yamanaka sprang forward then, gathering her sobbing daughter into her arms and pulling her aside. But as she led Ino away, she shot Shikamaru a look mixed with pain and accusation that caused him to flinch. He could do nothing but watch helplessly as the pair disappeared into the house, and then confusion gave way to anger.

“Why?” demanded Shikamaru suddenly, wheeling on Inoichi. “Why?!?”

Inoichi’s expression remained cold. “I thought you were a genius,” he said shortly. “So tell me what part of no don’t you understand?” 

“That’s not an answer.” Shikamaru struggled to keep his voice steady and failed. “Give me a reason, damn it!”

“A reason?” Inoichi laughed humorlessly. “What makes you think you’re entitled to one, Shikamaru? But then I suppose you believe you’re entitled to whatever you want, given your status among the village elders. You’ve certainly behaved as if you were entitled to my daughter.”

Shikamaru’s back stiffened and he pressed his mouth into a thin, defiant line. Inoichi’s wrath grew as he examined the teenager’s face. Eyes narrowed, he leaned in closer.

“I once had such high hopes for you. You were almost like a son. But now I don’t care if you’re a genius, or if the elders would prefer to look the other way for the sake of their valued tool. You’ve wounded me greatly, Shikamaru,” muttered Inoichi in a brittle voice. He then glanced sideways pointedly. “As did you.”

Shikaku’s grim face wavered slightly at the accusation. But he said nothing, instead choosing to gaze steadily back at Inoichi, until the other man’s temper snapped.

“Since when does a man of honor allow his son to use a friend’s daughter as his personal plaything?” demanded Inoichi vehemently. “And don’t tell me you didn’t know about it, Shikaku!”

Sighing, Shikaku glanced briefly at his son before addressing his old teammate. “I did have my suspicions, Inoichi. But Shikamaru’s old enough to know his own mind,” he answered quietly. “As is Ino.”

“And what convenient reasoning that must be for you, magnanimously granting him such personal liberty when it’s my daughter who will have to pay for it!”

“My son is very aware of his share in the matter,” asserted Shikaku, his tone hardening.

“He’d better be,” responded Inoichi darkly. “He’s the one who got her pregnant.”

A cold knot twisted in Shikamaru’s stomach at the pitiless reminder. He had never meant for this to happen. He had a plan that should have worked; he’d thought everything out thoroughly ever since the first time Ino had welcomed him into her bed. He knew what he wanted. Ino wanted it as well. It would take time for things to come together, and they were still underage, but in another year it wouldn’t matter - a new future would be within their grasp. And they’d been so careful, too. 

Why did this have to happen now?

Shikamaru took another deep breath, again forcing his voice to remain steady. “Mr. Yamanka, I know that you’re angry with me. And I know you want what’s best for Ino. But I want her to be happy, too,” he pleaded. “I want to do the right thing... so why won’t you let me marry her?”

But Inoichi brusquely shook his head. “No. I could never leave my daughter’s fate in the hands of a mere boy.”

Shikamaru gritted his teeth, feeling as if he’d just been punched in the gut. “I’m not a boy,” he said tightly. “And regardless of what you think I love her as much as you do.”

Inoichi laughed then. “Do you honestly think that’s all it takes, Shikamaru? A declaration of love will make it all work out right? Frankly, your actions up until now tell me that you both have no idea what you’d be getting into. And I would be remiss if I sat back and did nothing to stop you from further messing up Ino’s life!”

Frustration rose up in Shikamaru, shattering his attempt to remain calm. “You don’t have the right to keep her from me!” he burst out. He barely registered Choji’s grip growing tighter.

“Oh yes, I do. And I will,” said Inoichi mercilessly. He suddenly looked over at Shikaku, eyes boring fiercely into the other man’s while continuing to address his son. “And not just for Ino alone. Even though you may be the father, the child my daughter bears will be entered in to the Yamanaka family registry.”

Shock rendered Shikamaru temporarily speechless, and then a primal kind of anger gripped him. His fists balled of their own accord. “You can’t do that!”

“The child carries the blood of the Nara clan,” protested Shikaku angrily, who likewise was clenching his fists. “It belongs with our family!”

“The same can be said of the Yamanaka clan,” retorted Inoichi, his jaw muscles tensing. “And it’s too late to start interfering now, Shikaku.”

“Just drop the crap, Inoichi.” Shikaku’s tone had hardened into a steely edge. He took a step forward, his hands out at his sides. “Why don’t you go ahead and take the swing you’ve been dying to throw at me since this whole conversation started?”

Inoichi’s hands twitched. “Don’t tempt me,” he warned.

“Then what about me?” Shikamaru was aware on some level that he was no longer thinking rationally. A hazy red cloud had fallen over him, goading him on with a naked urge to attack. “If this is about your honor, if it takes a duel to satisfy you, then come on - let’s go!”

It was the invitation Inoichi seemed to have been waiting for. With blinding speed, his fingers flew through a jutsu. Shikamaru was already readying his own counter-strike, his mind racing over attack scenarios when unexpectedly he felt himself being restrained. As he thrashed wildly, Shikamaru witnessed Shikaku apparently abandoning his jutsu techniques in order to leap forward and deliver a punch to Inoichi’s face, who had anticipated that and landed in a blow of his own - but then Choza was suddenly standing in their way. In an instant he had each large hand wrapped firmly around his teammates’ necks, dragging the grown men apart as easily as if they were children.

“Enough,” commanded Choza sternly, his deep voice booming through the street. He watched as his teammates slowly regained their composure, each glaring hatefully at the other, and wondered how this breach could ever be mended. Sighing, Choza then glanced over at his son and realized that Shikamaru was still struggling.

“Let me go, Choji! I have to do this!” he yelled at his best friend. But Choji shook his head emphatically.

“No, Shikamaru. You have to let it go for now,” he pleaded urgently. “If you do anything, you’ll only make Ino cry even more!”

Choji swung him in the direction of the Yamanaka house, forcing Shikamaru to look up towards the second floor. There he saw Ino’s tear-streaked face peering out from a window, startling him out of the blind rage. As he watched, she gently pressed her lips against the glass and drew back. Ino began mouthing something at him, but then her mother came to push her away and pull the shades down behind them. But Shikamaru had gotten the message.

I love you.

Feeling a return to his senses, Shikamaru sagged against Choji’s arms, grateful for their steadfast support. Then he looked up at the sky, which was distressingly bright for such a dark day, and made a silent vow.

You’ll see, Mr. Yamanaka. Whatever it takes, no matter what you do... I’ll still make Ino mine one day.


End file.
